1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device that received within a typical trailer square hitch receiver found on a vehicle, wherein the device holds accessories such as a framed canopy and wherein the holding apparatus is pivotable between a squared position and an angled position.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Many workers, such as municipal workers and municipal support workers, telephone company technicians, cable technicians, and others spend a large portion of their day working outdoors, either installing an item, such as a traffic light control box for the municipality or repairing the previously installed item. Such workers tend to drive from one job site to another in a pickup truck or van wherein the tools and equipment of the trade are stored. Upon arrival at the job site, the tools, parts, and other equipment needed are unloaded and the work at hand begins. While many workers find this type of work environment particularly enjoyable, Mother Nature can have an adverse effect on a given work day. If the sun is blazing or the rain is pouring, the outdoor worker needs to protect himself or herself from the elements. If the particular job site is surrounded by a grass or other natural area, then the worker can erect a beach type umbrella to help shield the work from the sun or the rain. Although not completely effective, some shade is better than no shade on a hot muggy sun drenched summer afternoon. Unfortunately, many work sites are such that an umbrella cannot be ground inserted. A worker repairing a manhole cover in a downtown street has no effective ability to erect a beach umbrella. Although the worker can carry a standalone base for the umbrella, such bases are bulky, heavy and may take up too much real estate in the work vehicle.
Recognizing the limitations of a beach type umbrella, many workers carry about pop up canopy shade systems. Such canopy shade systems have an easy open frame that unfolds from its stored configuration in very short order onto which a shade canopy s secured. Set up and tear down of such canopies is very quick and easy. While more effective and versatile than a beach umbrella, such canopy shade systems are not without their limitations. Such systems are designed to be ground secured either by passing ground anchors through appropriate openings located at the base of the frame post of the canopy frame or via guy wires that are pin secured to the ground. Much like the beach type umbrella, such securement means are not always available to the worker. If the canopy shade system is not secured, then even a modest wind can carry the canopy shade system away, potentially damaging the device and possibly even causing a traffic accident. Additionally, even if the canopy shade system can be ground secured, a worker will often need to move the device a small amount at a given job site. For example, the job site may be such that the canopy system does not cover the entire area and as the worker moves between one area of the site and the other located a short distance away, the canopy shade system needs to be moved the short distance to provide its protection. Such movement of the canopy can become quite laborious and time-consuming. In such a scenario, the worker may spend more time and effort moving the canopy shade system back and forth than on the actual task at hand.
What is needed is a system that secures a canopy shade system frame irrespective of the ground upon which the canopy shade system is placed. Such a system must hold the canopy frame securely irrespective of weather conditions. Such a system must permit rapid changing of the position of the canopy shade system as the worker moves about the job site and needs the shading effect delivered by the canopy shade system to move with the worker.